Mobile medicine cabinet and method of use

ABSTRACT

A mobile medicine cabinet and method of use comprising a first half of a case and a second half of a case, wherein said first and second halves are pivotably attached to one another so that said first and second halves are pivotal relative to each other between an open and closed position; the case when closed determining a thermally insulated and moisture resistant interior cavity; a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing medication containers, positioned on an interior face of said second half; a portable computer mounted on said first half; and a computer program installed on said portable computer adapted for the input, storage, and retrieval of medical information about said user.

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No. 11/435,972, filed May 17, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This present invention relates generally to a mobile medicine cabinet and method of use, and relates more specifically to a portable temperature, moisture resistant, and puncture resistant device that contains a user's medications and dosing instructions as well as a portable computer for inputting, storing, and retrieving medical information about the user.

2. Description of the Related Art

Presently, individuals do not have a way to store and carry their medicines and associated information, such as dosage and timing instructions, in a convenient way, such that the medicines are protected from temperature variations, humidity, and physical damage.

Most people keep their medicine containers in a built in medicine cabinet located in either the kitchen or bathroom of their home. When the need arises for someone to travel away from the home, he or she has the current option of carrying medicine containers in a standard cosmetic bag, paper bag, or plastic bag, all of which provide no protection against changes in temperature, exposure to humidity or liquids, or from being crushed.

Further, difficulty exists when the need to move quickly, as during an evacuation, creates added stress and anxiety which may cause a person to forget to gather all of his or her medications. A person would have to gather his or her medications from either a kitchen cabinet, a bathroom cabinet, both, or other locations, find a temporary container, all under a time duress. If a person were to leave his or her residence without all needed medications in sufficient quantities, a dangerous, even potentially life-threatening situation could result.

A lesson was learned by the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the aftermath of that disaster, as people fled their homes and relocated to distant areas, doctors and other healthcare providers struggled to determine which drugs the victims needed based on their health condition and prior use. These problems were further complicated by difficulties in locating sources and supplies of these drugs as quickly as possible. Both victim's medication information and drug products were difficult if not impossible to obtain in a timely manner.

Hurricane Katrina, in particular, as well as other recent natural disasters and the looming threats of possible terrorism since Sep. 11, 2001, have brought into focus the urgent need to devise a way for people to quickly and securely take their medicines with them when they leave their home. People with medical conditions that require diligence and compliance in taking daily prescription medicines to maintain independent and healthy lifestyles are most in need of such a solution.

A need in the art exists for a portable moisture, temperature, and puncture resistant medicine cabinet in which medications could be stored in their original containers for emergency evacuations, and a way for people who have been separated from their usual medical providers to acquire refills or replacement of their medications, and to have stored, in one place, their personal medical history.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention replaces the built in kitchen or bathroom medicine cabinet as the place to store medicines. Bathrooms and kitchens are two of the highest humidity prone areas in a home. Humidity is often the cause of degradation of medicines rendering them sub-potent or ineffective. Permanently storing medicines in the present invention improves the storage and safe portability of life saving, costly prescription medicines.

The present invention, in the open position, is functional for daily use, but easily and quickly closes to become a mobile cabinet for pleasure travel or emergency evacuation from home. The interior design provides light, temperature and moisture resistance, and the exterior is designed to be rugged and prevent the contents from damage. Additionally, a reflective material is incorporated on an exterior surface to help locate it in the dark, making it is less likely that some medicines will be inadvertently not packed or left behind if they are always stored in the same device in which they travel. It is desirous that the medications be kept in the present invention in their original labeled containers and ready for immediate portability. If desired, a removable daily pill box may be added to the mobile cabinet, comprising a series of compartments corresponding to, for example, the days of a given week, and which each compartment contains the pills that a user would need for that given day. Alternate embodiments add further compartments corresponding to a particular time of the day within each day. All of which improves the ease with which a user can store, and remember to take, their medications.

In addition, the present invention has a unique identifier which provides a mechanism by which a user of the mobile medicine cabinet subscribes to a database service that can grant permission to the service provider themselves or have the user's designated healthcare power of attorney grant permission to the service provider to give medication and share basic medical information to a medical provider during routine visits or medical emergency situations. A user whose bag has been misplaced or stolen while traveling may have the user's medication information and history retrieved for use by the user's medical provider in the user's new location in order to replace the user's medications.

The service provider stores and maintains user information about the user including name, address, phone numbers, date of birth, allergies, chronic medical conditions, emergency contacts, medications, primary care physician, main healthcare facility, healthcare power of attorney, living will, and other desired data. The user initializes and updates user information with the service provider periodically by means of fax, mail, secure website, or other desired means.

The invention also incorporates a portable computer, which allows the user or health care provider to input, store, and retrieve medical information. Preferably, the computer is of a tablet design, with a touch screen monitor. A user, who can be the patient or health care provider, interacts with the computer via the touch screen to input their medical data, conveniently store it, and retrieve it when needed. A user, or health care provider, such as a primary care physician, specialist physician, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, or other caregiver, can use the computer to enter and retrieve medical information about the user and update it with new medical information.

The computer has a program installed allowing for interactions with the user or health care provider. The first screen, upon activating the computer, displays information about the cabinet owner and a sign on process, either fingerprint identification, password, or other personal identification number. In addition, there is a telephone number for someone who finds a misplaced cabinet to call so that the rightful owner may be found. After obtaining entrance into the computer program via a preferred password system, a main menu appears displaying further options for the user to select, depending upon whether it is the user or a health care provider who is accessing the program. Further screens allow for the input and retrieval of medical information about the user, such as medical history, laboratory results, x-ray studies, primary care physician notes, specialist physician notes, dentist notes, health records and arch identification, ophthalmologist notes and exam results, patient medical diary, caregiver notes, personal healthcare and contact information about the user, prescription drug information and refill reminders, immunization records, disease management performance indicators, copies of healthcare power of attorney and living will. In addition there is a screen for daily medication compliance, comprising a calendar and schedule for each medication the user is to take, allowing for the user to easily determine which medications to take, and to note that they were taken. A further screen comprises a daily pain record, where a user makes note of their level of pain on a given day. Other screens can be added, as desired, to comply with current standards of care over time.

Thus, instead of having their medical information stored at different remote sites, a user can carry with them a complete medical history, health care provider notes, medication information, x-ray images, pain record, and other information, in a convenient portable cabinet along with their medications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a mobile medicine cabinet in the closed zipped position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a mobile medicine cabinet in the open unzipped position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, the present invention is a mobile medicine cabinet 10 comprising a first half 11 case and a second half 12 of a case, which are connected by a hinge 13 to allow the cabinet to switch between the open and closed positions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cabinet 10 is in the closed position, its portability enhanced by the strap 16 attached to one side of the cabinet 10. Preferably, the first half 11 (not shown) and the second half 12 are secured together by zippers 18 and 19.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cabinet 10 is in the open position, where the zippers 18 and 19 are moved to the hinge 13, allowing the first half 11 and second half 12 to swing open and separate except at the hinge 13. The interior of the cabinet 10 is then accessible to the user. A flap 14, which is tucked in the interior of the cabinet 10 while closed, is now available and has a hook 15 attached to it allowing the user to hang the cabinet in a vertical open position for convenient access to the contents of the cabinet.

The portability of the cabinet is enhanced by the adjustable carrying strap 16, which is preferably a strap long enough to carry the cabinet 10 on the shoulder or back of the user, but may also be a simple handle to be gripped by the user's hand.

The first half 11 and second half 12 form a clamshell design pivoting about the hinge 13. Preferably, the two halves 11 and 12 are constructed from any suitable material known in the art that has ballistic properties to prevent the cabinet 10 from changing shape due to exterior forces and to prevent the contents of the case from being damaged. In addition, the two halves 11 and 12 are constructed of a material or have a layer incorporated therein that resists moisture penetration to the interior of the cabinet 10 when in the closed position. Additionally, the two halves 11 and 12 may, if desired, have on their exterior surfaces a reflective material to aid the user in locating the cabinet 10 in low light conditions. The flap 14 may also have, if desired, a reflective piece 55 attached, so as to aid the user in locating the cabinet 10 in low light conditions.

The zippers 18 and 19 are preferably large and easy to grip and be strong and durable. Preferably, the zippers 18 and 19 aid in preventing moisture from penetrating into the interior of the cabinet. When the cabinet 10 is in the closed position, the zippers 18 and 19 are adjacent to one another. To open the cabinet 10 to the open position, the zippers 18 and 19 are moved in opposite directions until they reach opposite ends of the hinge 13. The two halves 11 and 12 are then able to be separated about the axis of the hinge 13.

In the interior of the cabinet 10, the holders 31, 32, 33, and 34 are preferably webbed storage pockets, but optionally may be constructed of an elastic material that forms around the medication containers or pouches that securely hold the medication containers in place, while allowing the containers to be removed by the user to obtain the medication inside the containers. The dimensions of the holders are preferably varied to secure one or more different standard sized medication containers providing greater adaptation to a user's mixture of containers, but the holders may optionally be of any desired dimension.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first half 11 and second half 12 are arranged so that holders 31, 32, 33, and 34 are located on the second half 12 and are adapted to removably secure various sizes of medication containers. In addition, it may be desirous for a user to insert a cold pouch in one of the holders, along with one or more medication containers, to keep the medication container at a desired temperature.

A portable computer 50 is located on the first half 11. Preferably, the computer is a tablet style, with the monitor being capable of display to the user when the cabinet 10 is in the open position and wherein the user interfaces with the computer 50 by touching the monitor or by using a stylus. However, the computer may be of the more common clamshell design, with a keyboard or mouse interface, if desired. The user interacts with a computer program installed on the computer 50 to input, store, and retrieve medical information about the user. The user may directly type or draw data on the touch screen, or download data from an external source via a USB port on the computer 50, or other desired means. The computer 50 preferably stores the medical information on a hard drive, but can also use RAM or flash memory. The computer 50 preferably retrieves the medical information to display on the monitor or touch screen, or alternately send the data externally via a USB port or other desired means.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first screen, upon activating the computer, displays information about the cabinet and a sign on process, to control access to the computer, either by fingerprint identification, password, or other personal identification number. In addition, if desired, there may be a telephone number for someone who finds a misplaced cabinet to call so that the rightful owner may be found. After obtaining entrance into the computer program via a preferred password system, a main menu appears displaying further options for the user to select, depending upon who the user is. Namely, “patient, primary care physician, specialist physician, health care practitioner, dentist, pharmacy prescription services, caregiver.” Further screens allow for the input and retrieval of medical information about the user, such as medical history, laboratory results, x-ray studies, primary care physician notes, specialist physician notes, dentist notes, health records and arch identification, ophthalmologist notes and exam results, patient medical diary, caregiver notes, personal healthcare and contact information about the user, prescription drug information and refill reminders, immunization records, disease management performance indicators, copies of healthcare power of attorney and living will. In addition there is a screen for daily medication compliance, comprising a calendar and schedule for each medication the user is to take, allowing for the user to easily determine which medications to take, and to note that they were taken. A further screen comprises a daily pain record, where a user makes note of their level of pain on a given day.

In another embodiment, the invention comprises:

-   -   a) a first half of a case and a second half of a case, wherein         said first and second halves are pivotably attached to one         another so that said first and second halves are pivotal         relative to each other between a closed position in which the         first and second halves are generally parallel to each other,         and an open position in which the first and second halves are         pivoted away from each other, the case closable when said first         and second halves are in the closed position by closing a zipper         mutually attached to the first and second halves, the case when         closed determining a thermally insulated and moisture resistant         interior cavity;     -   b) a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing         medication containers, positioned on an interior face of said         second half;     -   c) a removable daily pill box;     -   d) a hook for vertically hanging said case when in said open         position;     -   e) a portable computer mounted on said first half wherein a         touch screen monitor is visible when said first and second         halves are in said open position; and     -   f) a computer program installed on said portable computer         adapted for the input, storage, and retrieval of medical         information about said user.

In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises:

-   -   a) providing a mobile medicine cabinet comprising:         -   1) a first half of a case and a second half of a case,             wherein said first and second halves are pivotably attached             to one another so that said first and second halves are             pivotal relative to each other between a closed position in             which the first and second halves are generally parallel to             each other, and an open position in which the first and             second halves are pivoted away from each other, the case             closable when said first and second halves are in the closed             position by closing a zipper mutually attached to the first             and second halves, the case when closed determining a             thermally insulated and moisture resistant interior cavity;         -   2) a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing             medication containers, positioned on an interior face of             said second half;         -   3) a portable computer mounted on said first half wherein a             monitor is visible when said first and second halves are in             said open position;     -   b) computer means for controlling access to said computer         wherein said computer means for controlling access further         comprises entering a password;     -   c) computer means for input of medical information about said         user wherein said computer means for input of medical         information further comprises downloading of data from an         external source to said computer via a USB port and/or touching         an area of said monitor;     -   d) computer means for storing medical information about said         user wherein said computer means for storing medical information         further comprises storing data on a hard disk drive on said         computer; and     -   e) computer means for retrieving medical information stored on         said computer about said user wherein said computer means for         retrieving medical information further comprises uploading data         to an external destination from said computer via a USB port.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above description. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. 

1. A mobile medicine cabinet comprising: a) a first half of a case and a second half of a case, wherein said first and second halves are pivotably attached to one another so that said first and second halves are pivotal relative to each other between a closed position in which the first and second halves are generally parallel to each other, and an open position in which the first and second halves are pivoted away from each other, the case closable when said first and second halves are in the closed position by closing a zipper mutually attached to the first and second halves, the case when closed determining a thermally insulated and moisture resistant interior cavity; b) a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing medication containers, positioned on an interior face of said second half; c) a portable computer mounted on said first half; and d) a computer program installed on said portable computer adapted for the input, storage, and retrieval of medical information about said user.
 2. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 1, wherein a monitor is visible when said first and second halves are in said open position.
 3. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 2, wherein said monitor further comprises a touch screen.
 4. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a hook for vertically hanging said case when in said open position.
 5. A mobile medicine cabinet comprising: a) a first half of a case and a second half of a case, wherein said first and second halves are pivotably attached to one another so that said first and second halves are pivotal relative to each other between a closed position in which the first and second halves are generally parallel to each other, and an open position in which the first and second halves are pivoted away from each other, the case closable when said first and second halves are in the closed position by closing a zipper mutually attached to the first and second halves, the case when closed determining a thermally insulated and moisture resistant interior cavity; b) a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing medication containers, positioned on an interior face of said second half; c) a removable daily pill box; d) a portable computer mounted on said first half, and e) a computer program installed on said portable computer adapted for the input, storage, and retrieval of medical information about said user.
 6. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 5, wherein a monitor is visible when said first and second halves are in said open position.
 7. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 6, wherein said monitor further comprises a touch screen.
 8. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 5, further comprising a hook for vertically hanging said case when in said open position.
 9. A method of using a mobile medicine cabinet comprising: a) providing a mobile medicine cabinet comprising: 1) a first half of a case and a second half of a case, wherein said first and second halves are pivotably attached to one another so that said first and second halves are pivotal relative to each other between a closed position in which the first and second halves are generally parallel to each other, and an open position in which the first and second halves are pivoted away from each other, the case closable when said first and second halves are in the closed position by closing a zipper mutually attached to the first and second halves, the case when closed determining a thermally insulated and moisture resistant interior cavity; 2) a multiplicity of holders, adapted for removably securing medication containers, positioned on an interior face of said second half; 3) a portable computer mounted on said first half wherein a monitor is visible when said first and second halves are in said open position; b) computer means for controlling access to said computer; c) computer means for input of medical information about said user; d) computer means for storing medical information about said user; and e) computer means for retrieving medical information stored on said computer about said user.
 10. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 9, wherein said computer means for controlling access further comprises entering a password.
 11. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 9, wherein said computer means for input of medical information further comprises downloading of data from an external source to said computer via a USB port.
 12. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 9, wherein said computer means for input of medical information further comprises touching an area of said monitor.
 13. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 9, wherein said computer means for storing medical information further comprises storing data on a hard disk drive on said computer.
 14. The mobile medicine cabinet of claim 9, wherein said computer means for retrieving medical information further comprises uploading data to an external destination from said computer via a USB port. 